Bush Economic Adviser Leaving White House

[maddezmom]

WASHINGTON - Stephen Friedman, one of the President Bush (news - web sites)'s top economic advisers, is leaving the White House to return to the private sector in New York, a senior administration official said Tuesday.



Friedman, who worked behind-the-scenes for Bush and seldom made public appearances, is to leave by the end of the year. There is no imminent announcement on his replacement, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.


Friedman replaced Larry Lindsey, who resigned with former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill two years ago in a shake-up of Bush's economic team.


The official said that while there has been wide speculation that Friedman might become treasury secretary in Bush's second term, Friedman had never been considered for the job because he had expressed no desire for the post. Friedman had expressed his intention to return to New York after the presidential campaign, the official said

more: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=544&ncid=693&e=1&u=/ap/20041123/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_friedman

[JPace]

1. The rats are leaving the sinking ship.....

[yellowcanine]

2. before the collapse of the dollar...

Once again, defeat is an orphan. You can bet everyone would be clamoring to stay if they thought the 2nd term were going to be a success.

[krkaufman]

5. "defeat is an orphan"

I like that one.

Reminds me of a comment from my brother... that you won't be able to find a Bush voter 10-15 years from now. (i.e. no one will admit to having voted for the idiot; NOT that they will all be exterminated)

[Rose Siding]

6. Nah, he's just going to collect his rewards

Time to cash in on his own policies.

[Warpy]

3. Translation: "Oh shit, it really didn't work!

I'd better get the hell out of here before they blame me for it!"

[Demeter]

4. Tell Me Where This Bozo Is Going

So I know where NOT to take my business!

[mulethree]

14. He came from

He spent 28 years with Goldman Sachs & Company where he served as Co-chairman from 1990-1992, and Chairman and Senior Partner from 1992-1994. He is currently a Senior Principal at the investing firm Marsh & McLennan Capital. He has been serving on the boards of directors of Goldman Sachs, Fannie Mae and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/12/20021212-9.html

Lots of work with the "intelligence community" and with groups opposed to deficits and reaganomics. The stock market really disliked his appointment. They saw him as another Rubin.

[Thor_MN]

15. Well, that explains my 401K plan's performance,,,

[Just Me]

17. He's wise to save his ass before the crash,...eom.

[TrogL]

7. Uh-oh, there's gonna be trouble

http://www.nationalreview.com/moore/moore121102.asp

Friedman's co-chairmanship and big-dollar donations to the Concord Coalition — an organization dedicated to blocking supply-side tax cuts — is problematic. In this case, his partnership in this group is highly suggestive that his economic beliefs are wrong-headed in the extreme. The Concord Coalition represents the Chicken Little deficit reduction myopia that was once the rage in the Republican party before someone by the name of Ronald Reagan came along and thankfully converted the GOP into a tax cutting party.

Friedman was their voice of sanity amongst a gaggle of supply-siders. With him gone, Reaganomics is back to stay.

[jobycom]

10. Good find, thanks

I love the claim that Republicans cut taxes and that cutting the deficit is "reduction myopia." Reagan didn't convert the Republicans into a tax cutting party, he converted them to a credit card party. Spend, spend, spend, and when it crashes and a liberal cleans up our mess, we'll just claim the economy is like an ocean liner and that really the Democrats' success is just our delayed success.

A tax cut without a spending cut is just a loan, to be paid back with interest.

These guys have no understanding of what money actually is. That's all that the traitorous buffoon Ronald Reagan proved.

[mbperrin]

8. A hearty pat on the back for a job well-done!

Hmm...also could look like a shove out the door!

Looks like he'll be trickling on down to a new cesspool to set up business...

[jobycom]

9. Bush has economic advisors? Must be the Maytag repairman.

Not like Bush listens to anyone. Look around, do you think he's gotten any economic advice, aside from "Look, son, just give lots of many to our friends and pray."

[Viking12]

11. Is there another "faith based" economist to take his place?

I'm sure they'll be trolling the fundie colleges and RW think tanks to find another yes man advisor.

[underpants]

12. Is there an Ashcroft-esque "I am a complete success" letter?

Uh-huh

[Tellurian]

13. Bush is jubilant the economy is prepared to collapse-

This has been the plan all along...

"The eradication of the middle class!" Roll back 100 years of Progressive thinking back to the old 2 class system of the Rich and the Poor!

Republicans intend to maintain superiority vis a vis Religion and political affiliation. All people will be classified by the 'With Us Or Against Us' mentality as espoused by Bush in the first campaign. The employer's workforce will become the tool designating the 'Haves from the Havenots.' If you are unemployable (by virtue of this distinction) eventually, you will lose your home. Banks heavily involved in the real estate market will sell your house to a like minded associate. And you, depending on the level of your finances, tenacity and verve, will either play the game to survive, or (at your option) be sent to one of the hundreds of vacant concentration camps (already manned by private security) throughout the country, as a threat to National Security under the authority of the Pats Act!

If Kerry doesn't pull our fat out of the fire, we will surly face the inevitable... Armageddon!

[struggle4progress]

16. He's had a smashing career as a Bushista: country broke, dollar dying ...